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HOUSEHOLD. NOVELTIES IN FURS, FUR TRIMMEC WRAPS AND TAILOR GOWNS. \A 'â- 'i : 3 ^ I The Popnlar Cat and Colorsâ€" TkeTiri Reir Coat Sbapeaâ€" A Pretty Piirret ' Cloth Cape â€" Tailor Gotrns •( tb< Terr Best Strlo. ♦ '• ^ t EverytbiDg ii soft andclingiDg to tbi ^ .^^re, and plain olotbes are the ordei tf the day for aatumu wear. Colors ii; .â- 'JoBb favor are sbadea of blue, a ohest ./*ij|t with a rpddiab hue, tans, a charm \*ii(^ tint that ia a kind of ivory yellov • /dpd called by Parisiana "the falling ni •j^^f leaf, " also a pretty mnabroom abaiii V YUoething like old parchment. It ia hard. - neceaaary to remark tbai the shaped Imunce takes a foremost po tftion every w hers and is mainly te ed discloses a vest of scarlet crepe de chine Auely tacked. Yoa can imagiuu that the effect is exceedingly good, fio woman who appiuciaini good style can fail to be impri'i-M->i wiui these gowns. AaswerlnK a Dinner Card. When a dinner card is received and the recipient does not make nse of print- »d cards of acceptance or refusal, the answer should \u- concbed in the third person, and mtah pleasure in acceptiuK or regret at refusi.ng abonld be ezpreseed. Indeed it ia the received rule â€" save be- tween intimate friends â€" that all invita- tions issued in the thiid i>erson should be responded to in the third person alaa TWO XTP TO DATB rVS COATS. qmnsibla for making new olothea as argent necessity, for no self reepectinK woman could possibly appear in one ol the last eeaiion's capes which was guilt- lets of a flonnce, or a last season's coat which was designed before the spooo •baped basque had been ii^frodnced. With ail doe respect to the cape of the momeat, it is a relief and pleasure to tarn from its familiar curves to tbe two versions shown in tbe cut of tbe up to date fur coat, authorized by Dam« Fashion, frnm which yon may make ohoice according to the number of inobet Toncbsafed yun by nature. For tbe ou« is long of basque, witb a sbaped flounc« of sable to contrast witb the sealskin o{ which it is primarily fashioned and to ooDtinne its career as pointed revert and high collitr. A beautiful garment this for the tall woman, while for tbe others there is tbe chio oharm of that broad tail coat which only jnst covem the waist line and which has its sleek blackness contrasted with the delicats itnral gray of tbe broad tail which ^Ines tbe high tabbed collar and forma the quaintly nbaped revers. Finally, as • sort of compromise between the coat and cape, there are graceful frilled oapes short on tbe shoulders, with two long sbaped ends falling below the knee Neoklets in stone marten, skunk, blue (ox and sable are popular. They are, as last season, fnmisbed witb a multi- plicity of tails. Some necklets are m shaped that tbey may be worn fiat or reversed to form a high medici collar. Tbe foregoing styles are, of course of tbe costlieet, but there is ample pro- vision for tbti people of modest dress al- Icwauce in lu-'teful fur trimmed gar- ments. A I'rctiy style in tan, gray or bine cloth is lined witb squirrel fur; a band of dark far heads tbe iuevitaMu bordering frill and forms tbe high col- lur. Two tailor made gowns whicb, though absolutely simple, would make their mark anywhere by reason of beau- tiful cnt aod finish are shown in tbe second illnsCrution. One ia built in violet cloth, the little short basqued coat fastening over at ibe left side ^vitb a very broad band of stitched strapping, which la taken up •gain on tbe skirt, where eventually it divides at tbo level of tbe knees, to fol- low the awei'piug curve which discloses â- n underskirt of violet velvet, wbicb same beautiful fabric is used for the making of th^ coat collar. The other costume boasts of a skirt of scarlet hopsack, fitting like asbeatb tiil at the knees conies tbe first of a gron^. of eociroliug bands of strapping. It is A PATRON OF ART. CAREFUL GREEK PARENTS. Bora ^Wero Escorted to School Jast as Girls Arc Now. The extraordinary care that the Gre- cian boy received in bisformative years made bis moral training more effective than that inculcated b; the most careful of modern parents. His general educa- tion, coupled with skillful and continu oua physical instruction, produced a moral cultivation very similar and fully as strict as that tbe Christian father deems necessary for bis daagbcers. A pedagogue, generally an old and trusted slave, led the boys to school auii called for tbem after it closed, carried the books, looked out for tbe little boys, kept tbe older ones from fighting and falling into bad company and had a general oversigbt of their oondnct and street form. He was by no means a sohoglmaster or even a private tntor, not even being allowed to enter the school- room. Oftentimes ignorant in the ex- treme, he was chosen simply tiecaase of his loyalty to the family and some- times, I fear, because be was unfit for any other occupation. Though the butt of tbe boys' ridicnle as well as that of the comic poets and low wits of tbe day, 4ie did an incalcnlable service in prevent- ing vicious companionships and keeping pare tbe minds of those intrusted to his charge. The child was never sent off to txiard- ing school, but boys attended tbe day school ; town life prevailed. Besides, that sentiment that zealonsly guarded the boy's purity with a pedadogue from his sixth to his sixteenth year could brook DO intermission of personal over- sight. Education was essentially pri- vate, the state having jurisdiction sim- ply over tbe moral and not the profes- sional standing of the teacher. â€" Popu- lar Science Monthly. FAKE "FENCES." VBliy CHIC TAILOE GOWNS. uned with black silk, and the ooat is of black faced cloth saade in the double brwated reefer fashioo. and when open â-² Little Trick That Is 'Worked In Baxter Street. "There was a time and that not so Tery long ago, " remarked an old time puller in, "when almost every other store in Baxter street was a 'fence,' or pretended to be, in order to give custom ers the idea that they were getting guo<l bargains. The clerk who took a hesitat- ing customer aside and whispered 'fence' was generally sure of a sale. There are uo gennine 'fences' in Baxter street now, beoan^ie clothing, shoes and hats are so cheap, but some of tbe stores still pretend to sell stolen goods. "When a customer in one of these stores has looked evervtbing over in the shop and hasn't made a purchase, the salesman tells him that be has a little 'fence' down stairs aud urges upon him the necessity of keeping it quiet on ac- oonut of the police. Of coarse tbe cus- tomer won't i-ay a word. So down stairs they go to the alleged 'fence, ' whicb gen- erally proves to be a big trank packed witb goods. "While showing tbe contents of the trnnk the salesman keeps up a running yarn about the famoas criminals who brought tbe goods to the store. "Finally, after showing a lot of stuff of the same quality and pattern the customer refused to buy up stairs, the salesman gets him to try on something, and as quality, workmanship aud per- fect fit always go with 'fence' goods, there is a sale made. This fake 'fence' answers sale purposes as well as the gennine, " concluded tbo puller iu, "aud there is no risk attached toit. " â€" New York Sun. A Naval Row, ITOS. At 6 this evening Captain Norris coming onboard tbisship (the flagship), my Lord Hamilton, Captain Ley, Cap- tain Wisbart and Captain Trevor were standing on tbe quarter deck, and as Captain Norris came up Lord Hamilton asked him if he had taken any more wine or brandy. The o^ber answered no, upon which Captain Trevor asked the price of bis claret, whether he might have any at 4 Ii. a hogshead. Norris said he would have 6 Ii. or salt water, and then Captain Ley said be would rather the prizes were ashore than he would give 6 Ii. tbe hogshead; upon which Captain Norris said he was a rascal that wished bis prizes ashore. The other replied he was a rascal, if he called him so, aud then Captain Norris struck Captain Ley and threw him over the gun, which Mr. Hopsou hearlnt;. as be nud I were in my cabin, ran oi;f aud upon iuquiry found he(Norris) h.ul hurt Captain Ley, and hy tbe admirals directions ordered bim to be coutiuccl. apou which Captain Nnrris drew his sword aud offered to stab Captaiu Ley, but Admiral Hopsou, holding bis hand, ordered bim to be disarmed aud con- fined in Mr. Rayney'a cabin. â€" "Jonr- nal of Sir John Rooke." HE WAS NOT MUCH OF A JUDGE OF PICTURES, BUT BOUGHT THEM. And -Wliem All 'Was Said and Doae It Had to Be Acknowledared b^ the Painters Themselves That He 'Was a Real Patron. There is a story you can hear if you want in Paris concerning two men of Cincinnati. Who the two men are, in tbe words of the poet, "I know, but may not tell." If I could tellâ€" ah, that would be a seven days' scaudal! Both of them weie supposed to be patrons of art. Tbey were men of note and tbey bad money galore. They did not know anything about pictures. They could not tell, unaided, a Rembiandt from a lithograph ; but that is a trifie. They were patrons of art. As to their names, I shall call one Smith and the other Jones. Well, Smith li'Oghta picture and presented it tu the Artmusenm. Then Jones went abroad aud visited Paris, and there an artist whom I knew ran across bim. "I want," said Jones, "to give a picture to the museum. Smith bas done so. I mustn't let him get ahead of me. " "My dear Mr. Jones," said the artist kforesaid, "I know exactly the picture lor you. It was painted by Constant. It is now in Constant's studio. Let me taks you there tomorrow and you shall lee it. Yon will not get anything love- lier in all Paris." The next day they went to Constant's Itudio. They were shown the picture. Constant himself shook bands witb the great American patron of art. The oth- er artist, tbe one who had taken Jones to the studio, praised the picture inor- dinately. It was indeed lovely, and it deserved the praise. Tbe American was visibly impressed, fie almost said he would buy it. "And tt is not a dear picture, all things considered, " said bis conductor. "How much?" said tbe patron. "Twenty thousand francsâ€" 14, 000." "Oh!" From that moment the interest of the patron began to cool. He did not say again that he liked tbe picture. He took leave of the famous Constant almost curtly. He did not encourage his con- ductor to talk, and he would not him- self say anything more about the pic- ture. Naturally tbe condnctiag artist thought it was all over. He made a feeble attempt to reopen tbe subject, but the patron of art said grufily : "No, na That picture doesn't suit me." Picturesque and severe things were said about that patron by that aitist. He declared that tbe patron knew no more of art than a cow did. What busi- ness had such a man to an opinion about a picture? "Of course," be would conclude at the end uf each harangue, "the trouble was in tbe price. He is worth millions and he wouldn't pay $4,000 for a beau- tiful picture â€" the barbarian!" Suddenly tbe artist was astonished. The patron had bought a picture, and, behold, it was one which cost double the price of Constant's. What conld it â- 11 mean? The artist was a point blank man, and tbe next time he saw the patron he went at him bluntly. "Now, Mr. Jones," said he, "I want yon to tell me why yon didn't buy Con- stant's picture. I suppose tbe price was too steep. But the one you bought at least cost twice as much, and you got sold in buying it." "Why, lock here," said the brilliant Jones, "old Smith gave tbe museum a picture that cost $5,000 â€" $5,000, you onderstaud. Do you suppose I can give it one that cost only $4,000? What do yon take me for?" But he is a patron of art. â€" Cincinnati Commercial. Colorado river, in southern California In this region of ugly volcanoes, deso- late wastes and slimy swamps, tba strangest phenomenon of all is what the natoralisiB call a "lake of ink." No other description fits as well. Tbe strange black fluid that forms tbe lake bears no resembiauce to water. Tbe pool ni ink is situated about half a mile from a volcana It is about an acre lu area. The surface is coated witb gray ashes from tbe volcanoes to the thickness of about six inches, thus con- cealing its real nature. Experience has proved that the black fluid of tbe lake ia not poisonous. Ic acts as a dye, and cotton goods soaked in it keep their color for mouths, even when exposed to the sun. Tbey also ac- quire a stiffness similar to that produced by weak starch. The fluid bas been analyzed, but its component parts have not been made known. As to the source of tbe supply of the lake, nothing defi- nite has been ascertained. It is undoubt- edly of volcanic origin, but nothing more definite is known. This is a bad land that bas never been traversed. Human t>«icgs have tried it, but tbey never return to tell of their ex- perience or their discoveries. â€" Loois- ville Post. An Italian Peasant. The Poletti's little cottage stands in a field and is semidetached. Like many of their clasH in Italy, tbey have a great love for and pride in their home. Tbe furniture is well polished, tbe tools and utensils arraoited witb an attempt at decoration, and all is clean aud neat. It is a two roomed bonse. On tbe ground floor is the kitchen, where the boy's bed stands under tbe stair which leads tn the upper room. Here are two lar^-f : beds, one for the parents, the other for the two girls. In the kitchen stand a walnut wood table and a sideboard of antique design, an heirloom of the mother's; a walnut chest holds the bed and table linen and another old chest the best clothes; the everyday clothes are kept in a chest up stairs. 'They try to add something every year to the house linen. Sometimes tbe mother and daughters beg tbe use of a little plot of ground, which they sow with flax, and the year following tbey â- pin and weave it themselves, borrow- ing a loom from a farmer. Their stock compares favorably with that of tbe better off English cottager, to say noth- ing of the (inality of this homemade linen compared to that bought cheap at a cotmtry shop. â€" Fortnightly Review. AI)IPL()M.\TICTrtiCK. AN INCIDENT THAT PROVED THE CUN- NING OF BISMARCK. Titles For Sale. The only state in whicb the sale of nobiliary honors is open and legal is, strangely enough, a republic â€" the tiny Italian republic of San Marino, of tbe existence of wbicb many are unaware. Yon can get a title in San Marino on application â€" and payment of the fee, which is not always tbe same for tbe individual honor â€" and the proceeds are used for tbe support of tbe national foundling asylum. Yon hHve «he sstij faction of knowing that yon have per- formed an act of charity, but yon will get little more than that for your money. San Marino distinctions do not count for anything ontside the state and for bnt little within it. Mrsterles of Sonnd. Many of tbe manifestatioDs of sound ftre still a cemplote mystery to science. One of tbe beat architects in New Or- leans remarked the other day that a building with good acoustic properties was always a lucky fluke, and that it was impoe«ible to be absolutely certain in advance. Sometimes a trifling al- teration will do the work â€" the dimen- sions of an arch are modified by an inch, a corner is made blunt, a slight obstruction removed, aud, pbestol a whisper becomes audible. There are old seafaring men in this city who can tell strange stories of fog sirens aud bell buoys beard uow for au incredible distance and agaia not benrd at all when right at band. There would be nothiug about tbe air or weather to account for such a variation, bnt the naked fact was indisputable, and the phenomenon is at the bottom of many an otherwise unaccountable wreck. Near the center of tbe city is a clock that strikes the hours on a deep toned bell. Sometimes tbe note may be heard almost to the suburbs. On other days, or rather other nights, it is inaudible outside a radius of half a dozen blocks. Oddly enough, the bell seems clearest and its tune most penetrating iu turbu- lent weather, irrespective of the direc- tion uf the wind. â€" New Orleans Times- Democrat A Remarkable I.ake. The most remarkable body of water ia the world lies in tb« vicinity of th« Rarest Bird. To find tbe rarest bird in existence you must go to tbe mountains between Anam and Loae, where there is a cer- tain kind of pheasant. For many years its existence was known only by tbe fact that its longest and most spleudid plume was in much request by mandarins for their head gear. A single skin is worth $400, and tbe bird living would be priceless, for it soon dies in captivity. â€" New York Journal. A Serious Omissloa. "Here's something queer," said the man who is always looking for flaws. "What's that?" asked tbe m-ju who was reading the news over the other's shoulder. "This account of the death of Cap- tain Biddleby. I've read it tbrougb twice now and I can't find it said any- where that 'the news of his death came to bis friends with a shock.' " â€" Clove- land Leader. Some of tbe adulterations found in beer are coccnlus iudicns, capsicum, ginger, quassia, wormwood, calamus root, caraway and coriauder seeds, cop- peras, sulphuric acid, cream of tartar, alum, carbonate of potash, ground oys- ter shells, nnx vomica, piertoum aud •trycbnine. Cheaper Than Payment. He â€" Here is your dressmaker's bill. She is becoming impatient for her money. She â€" Indeed? Then I must call to- morrow and order a new dress. â€" H«iter« Walt. The Ronndabont Manner In tlThleb He S*-<.tired tbe Safe Tranamlnsios uf Hlw Otflclal CurrespunJence tm tbe Kurelicn Office. Stepping to the counter, Herr yon Bismarck asked a grinuiug young shop- boy iu shirt sleeves, a blue linen apron, not of maiden freshness, aud blessed with a pair of large, red, greasy paws^ engaged in weighing some Dutch clieese, to oblige bim with a sheet of writing paper, some sealing wax and a pen ta direct a letter. On tbe boy producing the needfal with the traditional "What else, sir?" Bismarck said: "My hands are rather cold. Yon had better do it forme. " And he handed the boy a couple of letters wrapped in tbe sheet of bluish paper forming an envelope, for iu tbose daya made up envelopes were still unknown in Germany. Evidently flattered by tbe request of such an imposing looking client, for Herr von Bismarck's tall hat was almost touching tbe ceiling of th* squalid little shop, the greasy handed youth took the parcel, and, having closed it skillfully with some brown sealing wax and indorsed it witb th* initials of tbe firm, be returned it to its owner to write tbe address. "Sorry, my friend, to give you mor* trouble," said tbe future chancellor in bis jovial way, "but I can't manage to write with my gloves on, so just ad- dress it for me." .\nd he handed him a penciled slip wiiu tbe name of Herr Fritz Piepen brink or some sucb name, oil and colonial warehouseman, Na 000 Friedricha strasse, Berlin. "Thank you, young man; tnat'll da capitally, " and paying for the paper, etc., with a small tip to the oily boy with the stereotyped grin, he pocketed his letter, and we left the place to con- tinue our walk. "I dare say you are wondering why I treat my correspondents to such greasy, evil smelling missives?" And he showed me tbe chtesy finger marks of the t>oy on both sides of tbe improvised envel- ope. "I'll tell you a secret, and teach you a useful lesson for future times. Yon may some day thank me for tba hint, " exclaimed Herr von Bismarck, laughing heartily. "You know we are blessed here in Frankfort, as throughout all south Ger- many, with the Thurn and Taxis postal administration, a mine of wealth to that fortunate family, but the most wretchedly managed concern under tbs sun. As you may imagine, it is under the thumb of Austria, bence slow aud the triumph of red tape, with a pro- nounced weakness for diving into other people's business and skimming, of course, tbe correspondence of all Ger- man aud foreigu envoys, accredited la the diet, with a preference for mine, the ever suspected Prussian culprit and traitor. "Tbey have established a regular black cabinet in the princely poctoflSce, where specially trained imperial and royal wiseacres peruse onr prose witk critical eye, transmitting copies of ex- tracts of all 'treasonable' matter, or particularly interesting reports, to tha august Ballplatz, where Gentand and after him Klindwortb have established a lynx eyed system of political espionaga (politiscbes scbunffeln) extending all over Europe, and comprising eo ipso all German courts and chancelleries. "Not being particnlarly anxious ta gratify tbe morbid curiosity of our Aus- trian ally, I have thought it advisable to send imprrtant reports to tbe Berlin foreign office, as well as all my letters to the king, to Herr von M.inteufel, and to my sister and some particnlar friends, under cover to some mercantile firm in Berlin, changing tre(iuently and usually a^king a counter jumper in a cheesemonger's or oilman's shop to ad- dress tbem for me â€" and you can easily understand that tbe imperial and royal sniffers (schuuffler) don't manage to guess the correspondent of tbe Prussian representative under a greasy, ill smell- ing cover, sucb as you have seen. "It stands to reason that tbo smell of cheese or herring and the scribbling of a shopboy must deceive sharper men than tbe Thurn and Taxis post o£9cials and the specially delegated Austrian postoffice clerks. The only pre- caution I have to take is to go to differ- ent shops in quarters of the town where lam not known and to vary the Berlin address from time to time. Thus I'm perfectly safe. "Le tour est jone, and I snap my fln- gers at the Ballplatz. It is simple enough, as you have seen, yet it wouldn't do to send everything thiongb that chauuel, as they would otherwise get suspicions, so I treat my Austrian friends at least once a week to some of my diplomatic prose â€" unimportant stuff, aud occasionally something 1 wuut them to know â€" or to believe, " and be indulged in n boisterous laugh, â€" BarOB de Malortie iu Coruhill Magazine. l)o%vu on Pons. Mrs. Browuc â€" Yes, wo used to let Tommy sit ou tbo dictionary when he took bis piuuo lessons, but bis father put a stop tu it. Mrs. Cireeneâ€" Why so? 'Fraid it would hurt tbe book? Mrs. Browne â€" No. It was too mack like panning â€" pluying on words, yoa know. â€" Buatou Truiiscript.